Prompt Engineering Best Practices

• Include version numbers and creation dates
• Document intended purpose and use cases
• Note which models the prompt is optimized for
• Track performance metrics and iterations
• Use template parameters in a consistent format

1. Edge Case Testing - Test with unusual inputs or scenarios
2. Adversarial Testing - Attempt to make the prompt fail or produce undesirable outputs
3. Consistency Testing - Verify that similar inputs produce reliably similar outputs
4. A/B Testing - Compare alternative prompt formulations to identify the most effective
5. User Testing - Observe how end users interact with the prompt

• Include guardrails against harmful outputs
• Design for inclusivity and diverse perspectives
• Avoid reinforcing stereotypes or biases
• Consider potential misuses and implement safeguards
• Balance transparency with proper security

"You are an AI customer service assistant for Eco-Tech Solutions, a company that makes sustainable home products.

Guidelines:
- Always maintain a friendly, helpful tone
- If a question is about product specs, first check if it's in our catalog (provide details only about our actual products)
- For technical support, collect the model number, purchase date, and issue description before troubleshooting
- Direct users to human support for: refunds, complaints about staff, complex technical issues
- Never promise specific delivery dates; only provide general timeframes
- If unsure about any information, acknowledge the limitation and offer to connect with a specialist
- Any request for personal data should be redirected to our secure customer portal"

Base Format Component:

"Format your response using markdown. Use H2 headings for main sections, bullet points for lists, and bold text for key concepts."

Tone Component:

"Maintain a professional but accessible tone. Avoid jargon, and when technical terms are necessary, briefly explain them."

Domain-Specific Component:

"Provide financial advice that emphasizes long-term investing principles and risk management. Include disclaimers about the educational nature of this information."

• Remove unnecessary context and examples to reduce token usage
• Use precise, concise language to minimize token count
• Break complex tasks into smaller, more manageable prompt interactions
• Cache and reuse stable parts of the prompt
• Implement tiered prompting strategies based on task complexity

1. Monitor: Track usage patterns, success rates, and edge cases
2. Collect Feedback: Gather user impressions and pain points
3. Analyze: Identify patterns in failures or suboptimal outputs
4. Iterate: Make targeted improvements based on findings
5. Test: Validate changes against benchmarks
6. Deploy: Roll out improved prompts with version control

• Healthcare: Include medical disclaimers, prioritize accuracy, avoid diagnostic language
• Legal: Maintain clear boundaries about not providing legal advice, include jurisdiction limitations
• Education: Focus on explanations over direct answers, encourage critical thinking
• Creative Fields: Respect copyright, provide attribution guidelines, encourage building upon generated content